Cakes and Croissants
by The Slytherin Who Lived
Summary: Love makes us do strange things. James Potter knew that more than well. It was his love for Lily Evans that lead him to volunteer in the annual bake sale. There was a problem though. He couldn't bake! James had two weeks to learn, but will he be able to bake a cake and impress his red-haired muse? / Muggle!AU


There were a lot of things that could be said about one and only James Potter. He was a very charming and handsome teenager. He used to be quite spoiled because his parents were extremely rich. He was the captain and a centre forward of his school football team. He was madly in love with Lily Evans. He was also – along with his three best-friends – one of the biggest pranksters the school has ever seen. However, what people didn't know was the fact that James Potter was an excellent baker. And the reason why they didn't know it was quite simple. They didn't know because it wasn't true. James couldn't bake to save his life.

"Peter, I need your help," a teenager with jet-black messy hair approached his two friends who decided to spend their lunch break under the biggest tree in the school grounds.

"Sure, you know I'll help you as long as I'm able to," answered the shortest of the boys, a chubby owner of mousy brown hair. "What's going on?"

"I submitted myself as a volunteer to the annual bake sale…" the messy haired boy answered shyly.

"Wait, I didn't know you were baking," a boy with a medium-length black hair interrupted his friend, who in return sighed heavily.

"Exactly, Sirius. I don't bake and that's the problem," James said and leaned against the tree. "I volunteered only because Lily will be there, too. It just… it slipped out of my mouth before I knew what I was doing."

"Oh!" said his friends.

"Yes, _oh!_ " he flipped his hands in the air. "I'm screwed. You know how Slughorn loves his Slug Club. He cares for it more than anything. He expects the volunteers to bake delicious cakes… he expects _me_ to _bake_ delicious cakes. He said that cakes can't be bought. And that's why I need your help, Peter."

"Yes? But you know I can't bake, too." Squeaked the smallest boy.

"I know. But your uncle Jacob can. He's the owner of the best bakery in our town. Hell, his company is famous around the world, especially in America. And I thought that maybe… that maybe he could teach me? So I won't embarrass myself in front of Lily… taking into account that Snape volunteered, too…"

"Hold on. Snape? As in Snivellus Snape? He volunteered?" asked a confused Sirius and when his friend nodded, he almost had a heart attack. "Since when he can bake?!"

"I have no idea. He only volunteered because I did… You know, Lily was first, obviously, and then it was my turn… Snivellus was right after me. But it doesn't matter now. I have to be better than him. Will you help me?" Pleaded James.

"Will we help you with what?" asked a fourth voice. It belonged to a tall teenager who was the owner of the green eyes and short brown hair. He held a book in his hand. "And why do I get the impression that this is illegal?"

"Nah, not this time, Remus," started Black, then he put his arm around his friend. "But can you believe that _our_ James volunteered himself to the annual bake sale and has to bake the cakes himself? And we all know that he can't bake to save his life," Sirius chuckled. "All because a certain red-haired beauty named Lily Evans volunteered herself, too."

"And so did Snivellus whom James has to defeat now if he doesn't want to embarrass himself," added young Pettigrew.

Remus looked at his friend as if he wanted to know if his friends weren't pulling his leg. However, when James reluctantly nodded, he put his hand on his shoulder and raised his lips in a small smile.

"Worry not, James. We will do everything we have to. We won't let you down. We won't let you embarrass yourself in front of Lily and if it's necessary, we'll bring Snape down."

* * *

James was quite proud of himself when he walked down the hallways of the school carrying the box in which he had his cakes. He spent the last two weeks in _Kowalski Quality Baked Goods_ where he was learning how to bake. Peter's uncle, Jacob Kowalski, taught him personally while his friends pretended to be culinary critics.

When he baked his very first cake, he thought that Sirius and Peter were going to die because they couldn't stop vomiting. Luckily, the second one wasn't that bad and he was getting better and better with every new cake.

And now he was here. In Hogwarts. During the annual bake sale organised by Professor Slughorn's science club to raise money for their local hospital. It was quite famous and popular and people loved being there because they could meet their friends there and eat some good cakes while helping.

 _I hope I won't poison anyone_ , thought James as he put the box with his cakes on an assigned desk in the gym and took out two of his cakes. The first was a chocolate one and the other was a Victoria sponge.

"Ah, James, wonderful!" he heard Slughorn's voice as soon as he unpacked his food. "I must say that your cakes look delicious. You can be sure I'll be back to buy some as soon as I check everything."

The boy looked at his teacher who was smiling broadly.

"Thanks, professor. I tried." Replied an apprehensive looking James.

The older man nodded, still smiling, and then said his goodbye and went to check another students' culinary creations. The boy sighed and sat down on the chair.

"Well, well, well. I have to say that I'm impressed," said a female voice as soon as Horace Slughorn departed. "For a moment I thought that it was some kind of a joke on your part when you volunteered but here you are with your cakes."

James raised his head so fast that his glasses almost fell from his nose. A young seventeen-year-old girl with a long red hair was leaning over the table, smirking. As it was Saturday, they didn't have to wear their school uniforms so she was wearing a white dress. The boy had to confess that when she was leaning, he had a good view of her cleavage, even though the neckline of the dress was quite high.

"H-hello, Lily," started James and his hand automatically went to his unruly hair which he was never able to tame. He looked into her beautiful green eyes so he wasn't staring at her chest. "I… um, of course it wasn't a joke. I wouldn't dare to joke about a charity event… I, um, I wanted to help somehow."

Lily said nothing, she just raised her perfectly shaped eyebrow as if knowing the real reason. Then she looked at his cakes and then back at him.

"Victoria sponge and a chocolate cake, huh?" she said with a note of amusement. "Somehow I can't imagine you eating a chocolate cake. What would happen to your perfect athletic figure? I'm sure that half of the girls would be devastated."

"Are you in this half?" he asked before he was able to bite his tongue.

The girl chuckled and sat down on the desk, crossing her legs.

"Hmm… maybe? Although, I have to confess that I prefer an athletic brain over an athletic body," she started and then pulled a red sequinned purse out of her handbag which James just noticed she had. Then she put a £5 note on the desk. "Now, we can't allow your cakes to go to waste, can we? I'll have one slice of your chocolate cake, please."

James didn't answer because he was unable to. All words had left him, leaving him speechless. Lily Evans, a girl he had loved ever since he could remember, was sitting on the desk in front of him, dressed in a dress which showed a little too much (not that he complained of course. He enjoyed the view) looking at him with a small smile. Heaven. Words are unable to describe how much he loves her smile.

"Here you go," he said a moment later when he cut a slice of the cake and handed her a plate which she accepted (cutlery and plates were prepared before he arrived). Then he handed her four pounds of change.

"Leave it, James," she said.

"But one slice of cake costs one pound, not five," he answered.

"I know, however, it's a charity event. And well, let's say that a pound is for a cake and four for the effort you put into baking it," she chucked and then cut a little piece of her slice. "Now, let's try your masterpiece."

But before she was able to eat it, a loud cry reverberated around the hall.

"LILY EVANS! I FORBID YOU TO EAT THAT CAKE!"

All heads turned towards the source of the sound.

It was none other than Sirius Black, he was standing in the middle of the gym, holding a big box. A look of pure horror was visible on his face as he was looking at Lily who sat as frozen on the desk, having a spoon with a piece of cake in front of her open mouth.

Remus Lupin, who stood next to Sirius, only rolled his eyes while Peter chuckled. Both teenagers had boxes with cakes in them, too.

The young Black didn't waste his time, he just handed Remus his box and a moment later he was stood in front of the completely shocked girl. He didn't care that all people, including their teachers, were looking at them, he simply took the plate and spoon from Lily's hands and then shook her gently.

"Are you all right, Lily? You don't look well," he said and showed her two fingers. "How many fingers do you see? What? You see eight?! OH MY GOD, JAMES! YOU POISONED LILY!"

"Being a drama queen again, are we, Sirius?" the red-haired beauty asked with amusement, then she took the plate from the table. "We all know that you showed five fingers."

James chuckled and high-fived Remus who had just put all three boxes on the table as Peter had just handed him his box too. They brought the almond croissants and pączki which the young Potter boy had baked. Peter, then began unpacking them.

"You said you saw five fingers?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," Lily agreed and wanted to eat the piece of cake, but Black took it from her, again. "C'mon, Siri, give me my cake. I bought it!" she added and pouted.

"And do what? Let you die?" the boy put his hand on his chest. "You want me to be responsible for your death? No way! I won't let you eat that cake until I taste it first!" he added, and took money out of his pocket and threw it onto the table. Then he prepared himself to eat a bit of Lily's portion of the cake.

The girl just rolled her eyes and the three other boys chuckled when Sirius opened his mouth to eat it, however, he also didn't have a chance to taste James' creation because someone interrupted him.

"Will you ever stop showing off, Black?" asked a male voice.

They all turned their heads towards the source of the sound and saw a tall boy with a greasy black hair. Next to him stood a boy who looked like a younger, less handsome version of Sirius – his brother Regulus.

"What's your problem, Snivellus?" asked the older of the Black brothers. "I don't remember inviting you over here."

"I don't need your invitation because we're in school which, thank heaven, doesn't belong to you," answered Severus Snape as he approached Sirius.

Before anyone was able to blink, James found himself between his friend and their rival. He wasn't a fan of Snape but he didn't want one of his best-friends to have trouble if he had a fight with him. Especially because Lily was here and Snape was her friend. How was that possible, he had no idea. What James didn't expect was Lily standing between the boys, too.

"What's going on here?" asked another voice, it was their physics teacher, Professor McGonagall, who approached them along with Professor Slughorn and Headmaster Dumbledore.

"Nothing, Professor, we're just talking," said James before anyone else could say something.

Sirius, however, had other plans.

"What's your problem, Snape?" he asked and it was obvious that he was ready to fight at any moment.

"You're my problem, Black. Why do you always have to show off? Let Lily eat this damn cake if she wants to."

"You know Sirius, Sev," started the red-haired girl, wanting to stop their quarrel before one of them would do something they might regret later. "He's just joking. It's fine."

"That's the problem – he's always _joking_. Just like when he pushed me off the stairs!" said Snape angrily. "It was so laughable. Especially while having broken ribs!"

"Now many times do I have to say that it was an accident? I didn't see you there!" the older Black, who was held by James, yelled. His brother just sighed. He had no idea what he was doing here and wanted to be anywhere but here.

"Stop it now, both of you!" McGonagall interrupted them. "You're acting worse than five year olds!"

"He started it," muttered Sirius but only James who was next to him could hear him.

"Now, behave and don't make me return here!" she said and left them. A moment later Dumbledore and Slughorn did the same. Why the men even bothered to go there, James had no idea.

"Come, Lily," said Snape as he turned on his heel, ready to leave them.

"I'm not going with you, I'm staying," the girl said and looked at James and Sirius and then back at her friend who was quite shocked at hearing her words. "I want to eat my portion of the cake with or without Sirius' approval."

"So you're going to side with _them_?" Snape hissed.

"I'm not siding with _anyone_ , Severus," she started. "I just want to eat my damn cake which – mind you – I bought!"

Snape snorted.

"Of course you're not. And you couldn't have a bigger décolletage, could you?" he said looking at her boobs. "You're looking like a slut in that dress. Like a Potter's little _slut._ "

James felt his blood begin to boil inside of him. How could Snape dare to call Lily a slut? Lily was anything but a slut! He clenched his teeth and fists. He was mad. He was furious. He wanted Snape to suffer. Very much. He turned toward him ready to punch him, the volcanic heat of rage pulsating through his arteries.

SLAP!

The boy froze. His hand was just a few inches from Snivellus' face but it never reached it because someone else's was faster.

His friends and Regulus gasped while Snape hissed in pain. Lily, on the other hand, was looking at her trembling hand which just slapped her friend. She felt hurt and betrayed by his mean words and could feel the tears appearing in her eyes. She couldn't believe that Severus just called her a slut.

James recovered the fastest and used the fact that Snape was still stunned by the slap. His hand met the other boy's face with much force. Severus lost his balance and fell down on the table, knocking it over. But it wasn't enough for the Potter boy. He didn't care that his cakes were gone now because all mattered now was to make Snivellus suffer. He sat on his stomach and started punching his face as much as he could. It didn't matter that there was blood. Snape had to pay for what he said.

"James, that's enough, stop! James, please, stop it!" he heard Lily's voice but it was all blurred. As if she wasn't standing next to him. "JAMES!"

He was almost sure that his friends were yelling at him, too, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. He felt as if they were far away from him.

"That's enough!" he heard McGonagall's voice some time later and someone separated him from Snape. It turned out that it was his friends – they finally managed to stop him. "Didn't I tell you something a few minutes ago?"

James didn't care. He couldn't care less that the whole hall was looking at them now. He was mad. He was furious. He wanted Snape to suffer.

"He's crazy!" said Snape a moment later when Regulus helped him to get up. His face was covered in blood. His nose was broken for sure.

"Shut up, Snivellus!" he yelled and tried to punch him again, however, his friends wouldn't let him. "I swear that if you call Lily a slut again, then I'll break something more than just your ugly nose!"

The hall went quiet and everyone stared at him, Snape and finally at Lily who didn't feel comfortable being there now. She felt extremely vulnerable.

"What does she even see in you?" hissed Snape, wiping the blood from his face using his sleeve. "You're noting but a pathetic, athletic idiot!"

* * *

"I'm really sorry that you all got kicked out because of me," said James as he, Lily and his friends marched through an empty park. It was empty, even in June, because everyone was either at the bake sale or at work.

"Actually, bro, you were the one who got kicked out," started Sirius with a smirk and nudged him. "We just followed you as any good friends would do."

Because it was Saturday and not a school day, James and Severus couldn't be punished for their fight (as long as you can call a beating someone a fight). Instead both of them were banned from the bake sale and they had to leave immediately. The boys followed their fallen companion while one certain Miss Evans didn't have much choice. Plus she didn't want to be there any longer than necessarily, especially when everyone found out that her best-friend… well, her _ex_ -best-friend called her a slut. It was humiliating.

"What he said," announced Remus and Peter, who was holding a box, nodded in agreement. "Especially that we failed you. We promised to bring Snape down if he started causing problems and sadly, we didn't stop him on time."

A small smile appeared on James' lips. He couldn't ask for better friends. They always had his back, no matter what (and he always had theirs). He looked at the red-haired girl who was walking next to him. She was quiet.

"And what about you, Lily?" he asked. "Why did you leave?"

His class-mate looked at him, tilting her head a little.

"I didn't have a choice," she said.

"What do you mean? McGonagall banned Snape, too, so you could stay without need of looking at him," he stated, clearly confused. "Besides, what about your cakes? Shouldn't you sell them?"

"Don't worry about the cakes, Marlene will sort them, besides, when I said that I had no choice I meant it, James," she said and looked at the Black boy who winked. "Sirius tossed me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and took me from there."

Potter looked at his best-friend who just shrugged.

"I didn't want her to be there especially when you announced loud enough for everyone to hear that Snivellus called her a _you-know-what._ "

James froze. He was aware that he screamed at Snape but he was too angry that he didn't know what he actually was saying. Something turned in his stomach. He felt guilty. If it wasn't for him, other people wouldn't know what Snape said to Lily. It was all his fault. He felt horrendously guilty.

"I'm sorry, Lily," he whispered as they resumed their journey. "I am _so_ sorry… I know that I yelled at him, but I wasn't aware that I actually said it… I embarrassed you in front of everyone. Please, forgive me. I really didn't want to do it."

Lily was quiet at first, however, a moment later she raised her lips a bit.

"I know you are, James," she said, nodding. "But it wasn't your fault. Severus shouldn't say at the first place."

They took a seat on a bench under a large oak tree. Peter put the box on the table and then took off the cover. Everyone looked at him with a raised eyebrows when they saw what it was.

"I didn't have a chance to unpack everything and that's what I saved after James pushed Snape on the table," he said as he looked inside the box. There was one almond croissant and six pączki. Seeing, however, that Remus opened his mouth to say something, he added. "Don't worry. I left the money for it."

"Good thinking Peter," said Lupin.

"See? Even I have my moments," chuckled Peter. "Enjoy!"

It happened suddenly. Sirius grabbed a pączek and so did Remus and Peter. Lily and James, on the other hand, both grabbed the almond croissant. The boys chuckled.

"So what now? Another fight?" asked Sirius and winked.

"Nah, Lily will take the croissant and James will have a pączek," said young Pettigrew as he finished eating his own. "They're quite delicious."

"But I want the croissant! I love almond croissants," James pouted. He was joking of course because he already grabbed the other baked treat.

"What a shame," Lily started, smirking. "But mind you – I paid for your cake and I didn't have a chance to eat it. So the croissant is mine. Besides, almond croissants are my favourite, too."

There was a moment of comfortable silence during while they were eating. It wasn't much but still, it was better than nothing, plus the fact that they were together, just their small group of five, was more important. They all quite enjoyed each other's company.

"James?" Lily asked a few moments later.

"Yes?" he asked and turned his head towards her.

"Open your mouth," she said.

James did as he was told and a moment later Lily gave him a piece of croissant she tore off. He accepted it with a big smile.

"James?" she asked again.

"Yes, Lily?" he asked and looked at her again. So did his friends.

"I really wanted to taste that cake," she said, her comment made the boys start laughing, and soon Lily joined them, adding a tone of femininity to the chorus of masculine laugher.

"Well, in that case I'll bake one especially for you," he said with a smile.

Lily leaned towards him and kissed his cheek, smiling.

"I'd love that, James. I'd _love_ that."

* * *

 _Thoughts?_


End file.
